Flexible communication systems and methods

Abstract

A method of initiating a telecommunication session for a communication device that includes submitting to one or more telecommunication carriers a proposal for a telecommunication session, receiving from at least one of the one or more telecommunication carriers a bid to carry the telecommunications session, and automatically selecting one of the telecommunication carriers from the carriers submitting a bid, and initiating the telecommunication session through the selected telecommunication carrier.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method in a server comprising:
 receiving, by the server, a request from a client device to initiate a first telecommunication session; 
 obtaining, by the server, bids from a plurality of carriers that are able to communicate with the client device to carry the first telecommunication session; 
 selecting, by the server, a first carrier of the plurality of carriers to carry the first telecommunication session based on the received bids; and 
 transmitting, to the client device, an identity of the first carrier to have the client device connect to the first carrier to initiate the first telecommunication session. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the bids are obtained by polling the plurality of carriers in response to receiving the request from the client device to initiate the first telecommunication session. 
     
     
       3. A server comprising:
 a communication interface configured to:
 receive a request from a client device to initiate a first telecommunication session; 
 receive bids from a plurality of carriers that are able to communicate with the client device to carry the first telecommunication session; and 
 
 a processor operatively coupled to the communication interface and configured to:
 select a first carrier of the plurality of carriers to carry the first telecommunication session based on the received bids; and 
 transmit an identity of the first carrier to the client device to have the client device connect to the first carrier to initiate the first telecommunication session. 
 
 
     
     
       4. The server of  claim 3 , wherein the bids are received by polling the plurality of carriers in response to receiving the request from the client device to initiate the first telecommunication session. 
     
     
       5. A method in a server comprising:
 receiving, by the server, a request from a client device to initiate a first telecommunication session; 
 obtaining, by the server, bids from a plurality of carriers that are able to communicate with the client device to carry the first telecommunication session; 
 selecting, by the server, a first carrier of the plurality of carriers to carry the first telecommunication session based on the received bids; 
 transmitting, to the client device, an identity of the first carrier to have the client device connect to the first carrier to initiate the first telecommunication session; 
 receiving, by the server, first billing data from the first carrier of the plurality of carriers, the first billing data being associated with the first telecommunication session carried by the first carrier; 
 receiving, by the server, second billing data from a second carrier of the plurality of carriers, the second billing data being associated with a second telecommunication session carried by the second carrier; 
 determining, by the server, an amount to be deducted from an account associated with the client device based on the first billing data from the first carrier and the second billing data from the second carrier; and 
 transmitting, to the client device, a signal indicative of the amount to be deducted from the account associated with the client device based on the first billing data from the first carrier and the second billing data from the second carrier. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the server, billing data collected by the client device for the first telecommunication session; 
 verifying, by the server, that the first billing data associated with the first telecommunication session from the first carrier matches with the billing data collected by the client device for the first telecommunication session; 
 receiving, by the server, billing data collected by the client device for the second telecommunication session; and 
 verifying, by the server, that the second billing data associated with the second telecommunication session from the second carrier matches with the billing data collected by the client device for the second telecommunication session. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein transmitting the signal indicative of the amount to be deducted from the account associated with the client device comprises transmitting the signal when the server has verified that the first billing data matches the billing data collected by the client device for the first telecommunication session, and that the second billing data matches the billing data collected by the client device for the second telecommunication session. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the server, payment from the client device corresponding to the amount to be deducted from the account of the client device; 
 distributing, by the server, the payment amongst accounts associated with the first carrier and the second carrier. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the first billing data includes one or more of a cost of the first telecommunication session, a length of the first telecommunication session and an amount of data used during the first telecommunication session, and the second billing data includes one or more of a cost of the second telecommunication session, a length of the second telecommunication session and an amount of data used during the second telecommunication session. 
     
     
       10. A server comprising:
 a communication interface configured to:
 receive a request from a client device to initiate a first telecommunication session; 
 receive bids from a plurality of carriers that are able to communicate with the client device to carry the first telecommunication session; and 
 
 a processor operatively coupled to the communication interface and configured to:
 select a first carrier of the plurality of carriers to carry the first telecommunication session based on the received bids; 
 transmit an identity of the first carrier to the client device to have the client device connect to the first carrier to initiate the first telecommunication session; 
 
 wherein the communication interface is further configured to:
 receive first billing data from the first carrier of the plurality of carriers, the first billing data being associated with the first telecommunication session carried by the first carrier; 
 receive second billing data from a second carrier of the plurality of carriers, the second billing data being associated with a second telecommunication session carried by the second carrier; and 
 
 wherein the processor is further configured to:
 determine an amount to be deducted from an account associated with the client device based on the first billing data from the first carrier and the second billing data from the second carrier; and 
 transmit a signal indicative of the amount to be deducted from the account associated with the client device to the client device based on the first billing data from the first carrier and the second billing data from the second carrier. 
 
 
     
     
       11. The server of  claim 10 , wherein the communication interface is further configured to:
 receive from the client device billing data collected by the client device for the first telecommunication session; 
 receive from the client device billing data collected by the client device for the second telecommunication session; and 
 wherein the processor is further configured to:
 verify that the first billing data associated with the first telecommunication session from the first carrier matches with the billing data collected by the client device for the first telecommunication session; and 
 verify that the second billing data associated with the second telecommunication session from the second carrier matches with the billing data collected by the client device for the second telecommunication session. 
 
 
     
     
       12. The server of  claim 11 , wherein transmitting the signal indicative of the amount to be deducted from the account associated with the client device comprises transmitting the signal when the server has verified that the first billing data matches the billing data collected by the client device for the first telecommunication session, and that the second billing data matches the billing data collected by the client device for the second telecommunication session. 
     
     
       13. The server of  claim 10 , wherein the communication interface is further configured to:
 receive payment from the client device corresponding to the amount to be deducted from the account of the client device; and 
 wherein the processor is further configured to: 
 distribute the payment amongst accounts associated with the first carrier and the second carrier. 
 
     
     
       14. The server of  claim 10 , wherein the first billing data includes one or more of a cost of the first telecommunication session, a length of the first telecommunication session and an amount of data used during the first telecommunication session, and the second billing data includes one or more of a cost of the second telecommunication session, a length of the second telecommunication session and an amount of data used during the second telecommunication session.